Audio and video recording apparatus

Abstract

Simultaneous recording of a digital content, which does not specify Copy Free, on recording medium of the same type is not authorized. Therefore, when a content that has been recorded by a recording/reproducing apparatus is being reproduced by the recording/reproducing apparatus, the content cannot be reproduced from the recording medium by any other reproducing apparatus. Moreover, when any other reproducing apparatus is used for reproduction, the content has to be moved from the recording/reproducing apparatus to the recording medium. This is inconvenient. In the recording/reproducing apparatus, data is recorded on one dismountable recording medium after it is encrypted using a local encryption key so that the data can be accessed by the recording/reproducing apparatus which has recorded the data. On the other recording medium, the data is recorded after it is encrypted without employment of the local encryption key so that the data can be accessed by any other reproducing apparatus.

1 . A recording apparatus that records a digital signal on a recording medium, comprising:
 a recording unit that records the digital signal on a first recording medium and a second recording medium of the same type as the first recording medium; and   a restriction unit that when the digital signal is recorded on the first and second recording medium, imposes different restrictions on the first and second recording medium.   
     
     
         2 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the restriction unit imposes local restrictions, which permit reproduction by the recording apparatus, on the digital signal to be recorded on the first recording medium, and imposes restrictions, which permit reproduction by any apparatus other than the recording apparatus, on the digital signal to be recorded on the second recording medium. 
     
     
         3 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when the first digital signal is recorded concurrently on the first and second recording medium, the restriction unit imposes local restrictions, which permit reproduction by the recording apparatus, on the digital signal to be recorded on the first recording medium, and imposes specification-conformable restrictions, which conform to a specification defined for the second recording medium, on the digital signal to be recorded on the second recording medium. 
     
     
         4 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein when the first digital signal is recorded on one of the first and second recording medium, the restriction unit imposes specification-conformable restrictions, which conform to a specification defined for the first or second recording medium on which the first digital signal is recorded, on the first digital signal. 
     
     
         5 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a local encryption key generation unit that generates a local encryption key to be used to impose local restrictions which permit reproduction by the recording apparatus;   a local decryption key generation unit that generates a local decryption key to be used to decrypt data which is recorded after having local restrictions imposed thereon;   a specification encryption key generation unit that generates a specification encryption key to be used to impose specification-conformable restrictions, which conform to each of security specifications defined for the first and second recording medium respectively, on the digital signal;   a specification decryption key generation unit that generates a specification decryption key to be used to decrypt data which is recorded after having specification-conformable restrictions imposed thereon; and   a key memory unit that holds the local encryption key, local decryption key, specification encryption key, and specification decryption key, wherein:   when the first digital signal is recorded concurrently on the first and second recording medium, the restriction unit uses the local encryption key stored in the key memory unit to impose restrictions on the digital signal to be recorded on the first recording medium, and uses the specification encryption key stored in the key memory unit to impose restrictions on the digital signal to be recorded on the second recording medium.   
     
     
         6 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein when the first digital signal is recorded on one of the first and second recording medium, the restriction unit uses the specification encryption key stored in the key memory unit. 
     
     
         7 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second recording medium are dismountable from the recording apparatus. 
     
     
         8 . A recording/reproducing apparatus that records a digital signal on a recording medium and reproduces the digital signal from the recording medium, comprising:
 a module which records the digital signal on a first recording medium and a second recording medium of the same type as the first recording medium;   a reproduction module which reproduces the digital signals from the first and second recording medium respectively; and   a control module which when the first digital signal is recorded concurrently on the first and second recording medium, imposes first restrictions, which restrict reproduction by any apparatus other than the recording/reproducing apparatus, on the first recording medium, and does or does not impose second restrictions, which are different from the first restrictions, on the second recording medium.   
     
     
         9 . A recording method to be implemented by a recording apparatus that records a digital signal on a recording medium, comprising the steps of:
 deciding whether the digital signal should be concurrently recorded on the first and second recording medium and whether the first and second recording medium are of the same type;   if a decision is made that the digital signal should be concurrently recorded on the first and second recording medium of the same type, imposing different restrictions on the first and second recording medium, and recording the digital signal on the first and second recording medium.